India seeks reduction of Canadian diplomatic staff; curbs visas, issues advisory
India on Thursday asked Canada to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country as relations between the two countries plunged to an all-time low following Ottawa’s allegations against New Delhi over the killing of a Khalistani separatist on Canadian soil. Earlier in the day, India announced temporarily suspending the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens in view of “security threats” faced by its high commission and consulates in Canada, amid an escalating diplomatic row over Ottawa’s allegations relating to the killing of a Khalistani separatist on Canadian soil. India’s External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the decision will include Canadian visa applicants in third countries even as he asserted Canada must act against the pro-Khalistani elements operating from its territory.
India’s External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson said the size of Canadian diplomatic staff in India is larger than what New Delhi has in Canada and that there should be a parity in strength and rank equivalence in the mutual presence. “We have informed the Canadian Government that there should be parity in strength and rank equivalence in our mutual diplomatic presence. Their numbers here are very much higher than ours in Canada. The details of this are being worked out,” he said at a media briefing. I assume that there will be a reduction from the Canadian side,” he added.
India’s decision to ask Canada to downsize its diplomatic presence is being seen as New Delhi hardening its position on the ongoing diplomatic row that erupted following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June.
India on Tuesday rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case. Nijjar was shot dead by two masked gunmen outside on June 18 in British Columbia. India had designated him a terrorist in 2020. “Safe haven is being provided in Canada. We want the Canadian government to not do so. It should either take action against those facing terrorism charges or send them to India to face justice,” Bagchi said.
He said has India put up extradition requests or other assistance related to at least 20 to 25 individuals in the last few years but there have been no helpful responses from Ottawa. On concerns relating to security of Indian missions as well as Indian diplomats in Canada Bagchi said it is the host government’s responsibility to provide security. Separately, Canada said it is assessing its staff complement in India and taking action to ensure the safety of its diplomats in the country, claiming that some of them have received threats on various social media platforms.
The Canadian High Commission said Ottawa expects New Delhi to provide for the security of its diplomats and consular officers in India and that it has decided to “temporarily” adjust staff presence in the country as a precautionary measure. “In light of the current environment where tensions have heightened, we are taking action to ensure the safety of our diplomats. With some diplomats having received threats on various social media platforms, Global Affairs Canada is assessing its staff complement in India,” the high commission said.
Global Affairs Canada handles Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations. “As a result, and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to temporarily adjust staff presence in India. All of our locations are staffed by diplomats and locally engaged staff to ensure business and operational continuity,” it said.
In responding to media queries, the high commission said Global Affairs Canada will continue to take all “appropriate measures to protect the health and safety of all our personnel, including locally-engaged staff, and to protect our operations in India”. “Decisions are made based on a number of factors including the professional profile of an employee or personal circumstances,” it said.
“In the context of respect for obligations under the Vienna conventions, we expect India to provide for the security of our accredited diplomats and consular officers in India, just as we are for theirs here,” it added.
“The issue is not about travel to India. Those who have valid visas and documents like OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cards are free to travel to India,” Bagchi said. “The issue is the incitement of violence, the inaction by the Canadian authorities, creation of an environment that disrupts the functioning of our high commission and consulates. That’s making us temporarily stop the issuance of visas or providing visa services,” he said.
Earlier in the day, a private agency hired by India to carry out the initial scrutiny of visa applications of Canadians put out a note on its website on the suspension of visa services due to “operational reasons”. However, the note was withdrawn within hours and then again it was put up online. The agency, BLS International, also informed the stock exchanges that it had suspended India visa services in Canada with immediate effect.
India and Canada are embroiled in a diplomatic row over the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. The row erupted following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s allegations of a “potential” involvement of Indian agents in the killing. India on Tuesday rejected the allegations as “absurd” and “motivated” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move to Ottawa’s expulsion of an Indian official over the case.
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Harboring and protecting criminals and fraudsters/scamsters for monitory gains is often done by many western countries. But it is not the same as harboring terrorists who enter the country illegally, that is the Pakistani style foreign policy now being replicated by CANADA. The list of 20/25 individuals given to Canada are not Mandelas, Gandhis or Martin Luther Kings, they are known gangsters and murderers with their own gang rivalries, inducted by the Khalistani separatists.
As for down sizing the Canadian mission, India is one place where diplomats can live like the old Maharajas without the fear of kidnapping and other crimes unlike in many other countries, that is the reason why they maintain big missions.
With close to $ 600 Bn forex reserves, it is not the India of the old days and the west needs to acknowledge that. But then the dynasts living in the old glory take time to learn. BUT LEARN THEY WILL HAVE TO.